Cheat sheet to sushi eating

Express News Service

HYDERABAD:  One of the most polarising dishes of today’s time is sushi. The thought of eating raw fish with rice might be repulsive to some, but there are others who relish this Japanese delicacy with much enthusiasm. If you are new to the world of sushi and want to know what all the fuss is about, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with this simple guide.

The Basics

One of the biggest myths surrounding sushi is that it is raw. Well, it is not, it is cured. At its core, sushi is vinegared rice, usually prepared with sugar and salt, and accompanied with a variety of ingredients such as seafood, vegetables and seaweed, says Sudhir Nair, executive chef at The Westin Hyderabad, Mindspace. Sushi is not only made with raw seafood. It is a part of the sushi universe, albeit, an important one.

“However, some ingredients are best consumed fresh and raw. There is a reason the taste and texture of a raw mango eaten with a dash of salt and chilli powder is a treat to our tastebuds. It’s similar with some seafood it tastes best when eaten fresh and raw with a dash of wasabi. This doesn’t mean that the ingredients should not be cooked just that it’s another way of eating.

Also, India itself also consumes uncooked meat in the form of cured, dried and pickled meat! At the end of the day, food that one is used to eating is just a matter of cultural context,” says Nishita Medha, co-founder, Hashi. Sushi is served with soy sauce, wasabi sauce and pickled ginger. There are variations of the dish in terms of the fillings, toppings, condiments and preparation.

Take your pick

There are various kinds of sushi to pick from. “From the traditional Nigiri (hand-pressed balls of rice with a topping) and Sashimi (slices of fresh raw seafood) to the more popular Maki and Uramaki (sushi rolls with rice and fillings), there’s something for everyone.

There are also Gunkans and Temaki Rolls for the more adventurous. Today, we even find wacky inventions like sushi cakes, burritos and doughnuts!” says Nishita. You can prefer to eat your sushi with salmon, prawns, yeal, yellow fin tuna or any other good seawater fish can be used.

Vegetarians, unite!

The biggest myth related to sushi consumption is that it is not for vegetarians. “There is a whole world of vegetarian sushi available — both traditional and modern. In fact, at Hashi, we take pride in our vegetarian offering — with nearly half of our sushi menu being vegetarian,” says Nishita. Sudhir says the USA has changed the sushi a lot; they made sushis from cheese and cucumber more popular and later added, avocado, asparagus and other veggies. This is how sushi became vegetarian.

Preparation

“There are two variants of the special short-grain sushi rice. It is very different and has a peculiar smell. Its lumps are firm when you hold it but breaks easily when you swallow it. Much like a besan ka ladoo,” he says. Sushi rice is more glutinous. The water used to cook it is not thrown; it is mixed with brine (vinegar, salt, and sugar).

When the rice is hot, it is then moulded into various shapes by hand or using a bamboo mat (depending on the type of sushi) and is either topped or filled with various ingredients of choice, says Nishita. The key trick here is that the rice has to be perfectly done to stick when rolled and melt when had. Ideally, sushi is supposed to be eaten at room temperature.

“It should not take more than five minutes for it to reach your stomach after it is prepared,” says Sudhir. Special knives, called the one-stroke knives, are used to cut across the grain to ensure the perfect cut or a filet. “Perfecting this is a large part of the art. Another important part is that sushi chefs don’t use gloves. They sanitise their hands because the touch and feel lets you know if the sushi is right or wrong,” he adds.

Location, location, location

Your sushi-eating experience will depend a lot on the place you pick. Every place has its own style of preparation. A sushi eaten from a bad place can really scar you, says Sudhir. “Very few places in the city
serve real sushi. I would not suggest people who are accustomed to the Indian palette to start with real sushi. They can start with the modern preparations,” he says.

Sauce it up

As a respect to the chef, even though you are served wasabi and soy sauces with your sushi, it is important to taste the sushi without the sauces, says Sudhir. Now about the sauces. Wasabi is similar to horseradish. It is spicy, but not like hot peppers. It has a sinus-clearing burn that dissipates within a
few seconds. Want an extra kick? Mix some of the wasabi with soy sauce. The pickled ginger has a mild taste and a soothing flavour.

What the fish!

The essence of a good sushi is the freshness of the fish. “It must reach the restaurant in a couple days after it is caught. You cannot freeze it; it has to be stored in ice. Seawater fish is preferred over freshwater ones as it does not have the smell like the latter,” says Sudhir.